


I'll Believe It All

by kittleimp



Series: Little Birds and Laughter [2]
Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Frozen Yogurt, Injury Recovery, M/M, Not a Date, Therapy, This is not how therapy should work, just so you know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-10
Updated: 2014-09-10
Packaged: 2018-02-16 22:05:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2286042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kittleimp/pseuds/kittleimp
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Many thanks to <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/users/larissafae">Agent Friend</a>, <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/users/rosecat13/">Emily</a>, and Amber for reading this over on such short notice.</p>
    </blockquote>





	I'll Believe It All

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to [Agent Friend](http://archiveofourown.org/users/larissafae), [Emily](http://archiveofourown.org/users/rosecat13/), and Amber for reading this over on such short notice.

Kevin picks at his nails, keeping his eyes trained on his hands as he tries to continue to talk. The woman in front of him waits with nothing other than polite silence and a welcoming smile. She folds her legs, stretching her pencil skirt over them. Finally, he gives a heavy sigh and spits out the first words that come to mind.

“I just don’t know how to fix things.”

Her eyebrows raise, but not as if she’s judging him for his answer. Just in simple surprise. She leans out and rests a hand over his, stilling his movements. His thumb is already bleeding. Red is smeared over his other hand, but doesn’t look down to see it. All he watches is her friendly smile.

“Kevin, a lot happened to you. Someone bad hurt you and it is going to take some time before you are able to recover,” she reminds him. “Don’t rush yourself and remember that you don’t have to do this alone. We’re here to help you.”

“I know, I know... Really, the worst part is not knowing who did this to me. You know, all of... this.”

He makes a rough motion over himself with a newly freed arm. It’s still stiff from being stuck in a sling for the three long weeks after it was dislocated, but that’s the least of his problems. His cheeks throb where the stitches tug, holding together his sliced cheeks. Instead of being raw from screaming, his throat is scratchy from disuse. He’s on vocal rest outside of hourly therapy sessions in order to heal the rest of his face. The worn chair most of the patients use has been pushed to the side to make room for his wheelchair. They assure him that he will be perfect soon, but he doubts them silently with every glance into a mirror. A sigh draws his attention back to the woman in front of him.

“Kevin,” she says, almost impatiently. “You and I both know what happened. A vague, yet menacing government agency kidnapped you for reasons unknown to anyone. They likely were either punishing you or believed you had information that you clearly did not have. Once they realized that, they left you for dead in the desert.”

“I know, and StrexCorp saved me. It’s still hard not to have a proper name or a face.”

She smiles sweetly and nods, “That’s why I’m here, Kevin. I’m going to help make it easier. Now, have you been taking your medications?”

“Yes, just as prescribed. They’re the most important part of the healing process,” he says. It is is what he has been told from the start and they have been doing this so long that they must know best.

“Exactly!” she says, clapping her hands together and grinning. “You are doing so well, Kevin! I’m very proud of you! Oh, you’ll be healed in no time, don’t you worry.”

“Thank you, Alaia.”

“You’re welcome. Now, Dr. Ramirez is waiting outside to take you home. I’ll see you next week.”

As if on cue, the door behind him opens and hands close around the handles of his wheelchair. He looks up to see a familiar face smiling back at him. The kind, dark eyes are framed by black-rimmed glasses. As always, his hair is pulled back into a small ponytail. Alaia waves as he is pulled out of the room and pushed down the hall gently. They travel through the bloodstained halls in silence until they reach the shiny elevator doors.

“I can take you home if you want,” the man behind him says. “Thing is, I was wondering if you might be interested in some frozen yogurt. Thoughts?”

Kevin bites his tongue to keep himself quiet and nods enthusiastically. Routine, however comforting, can go the way of the Roman Empire as far as he is concerned. He’s going to Pinkberry if it kills him. The scientist chuckles and pushes the chair into the elevator.

“I’m going to end up letting you rot your teeth and the nurses are going to get mad,” he pauses and considers that idea before chuckling softly. “Then again, you probably don’t care much about that. You’ve got the biggest sweet tooth I’ve ever seen. On Thursday you’ll have to tell me what your real favorites are so we can get them to celebrate.”

Kevin leans back, glancing up at him. He hopes the look conveys the question he has, but it is hard to communicate without talking. Luckily, Isaac seems to be good at understanding. He should be, he used to deal with wordless communication all the time as a re-education specialist before becoming the head of StrexCorp’s science department.

“You do remember what happens on Thursday, don’t you?” he continues after a quick glance down. “The doctors said your cheeks will be healed enough for small conversations.”

A smile tugs at his stitches and he sits up again. Has it been that long already? If he’s honest he has to admit that it isn’t just talking that he is excited for, it’s talking with Isaac. The scientist has been at his side since he first woke up. Technically he’s got caretakers at the recovery house, but Isaac is the one who spends the most time pushing his wheelchair around and making sure he has everything he needs.

“Kevin, you’re spacing out again.” 

He looks up to see Isaac sitting in the chair across from him and holding out a cup of purple frozen yogurt with a plastic spoon stuck in it. With a nod of thanks, he takes the cup and starts to eat it with care. It’s not easy to eat it without moving his mouth too much, but he’s had plenty of practice.

“Is there anything you want to hear about today?” Isaac asks between bites.

Kevin nods again and cup his hands over his eyes, as if making goggles. Isaac smiles and launches into a story about work. He’s a chatterbox, rattling off scientific terms and groaning over the paperwork he has to deal with. It isn’t annoying, not like it is with the nurses. Still, Kevin longs for the ability to join the conversation. He wishes he had work to speak of. They tell him that he used to work at the radio station, even if he can’t remember it. He can’t go back for another two weeks. It’s far too long for his tastes, but he doesn’t have much of a choice.

“And they’re starting new projects too, but most of those are confidential. Maybe once you’re able to talk I’ll take you tour the labs,” Isaac says with a smile. Kevin crosses his arms over his chest in approval. It’s sign language of a sort, but much closer to a secret language at this point. The scientist nods and gathers their trash. “When you can talk I’ll also get to learn all about _your_ interests. I’m sure you care about more than modified cells.”

If he could talk, Kevin would tell him that he shouldn’t be so sure. He isn’t a science type. Back in high school, he almost failed his biology course. That doesn’t mean he isn’t interested in Isaac’s work, especially when those modified cells are flowing through his veins and helping to heal his knees. However, he isn’t supposed to talk yet, so he stays silent.

By the time they’re back at the house, Isaac is deep in some story about explosions and quarantines. Most of it goes over Kevin’s head, but he finds himself laughing quietly anyway. Just as the story is wrapping up, a nurse hurries out of the front door and across the lawn,

“Kevin, what have we told you about-oh, Dr. Ramirez!” As soon as she notices the scientist she smiles, biting back her lecture. “Thank you for bringing him back.”

“I hope I didn’t delay any schedules,” Isaac says, stepping away from the wheelchair. “I thought Kevin might enjoy some frozen yogurt.”

“Of course,” she says. “He does seem to like it. Unfortunately, I have to steal him away from you now.”

“That’s fine. Goodbye, Kevin,” Isaac says with a smile and a tap on the shoulder. Kevin returns a wave, but the nurse is already wheeling him toward his room.

“You’re late, we were expecting you for group time. We had nurses calling all over the place to find you,” she says sternly, but he only nods. It was worth it.

He shifts the wheelchair around once he’s in his room. The chair is a tight squeeze, but eventually he manages to maneuver it to his desk. His journal is already sitting there, waiting for him with the pencil just like every other night. Today’s entry is another short one.

_Physical therapy. Lunch at house. Finished my book. Therapy with Alaia. Missed group for frozen yogurt with Isaac._

The nurses won’t be happy with the length, nor the contents, but that’s all that is worth recording. Except... after some thought, he picks the pencil back up.

_Can talk starting on Thursday. Isaac says he will let me visit the lab. I’m excited for both things._

With a small smile, he closes the journal and sets the pencil by its side again. After stretching his shoulder slowly, he shifts the wheelchair over to the bed. His pajamas are already there, but before he can grab them a nurse appears. The reminder that his privacy is an illusion is unwelcome, but he’s glad that he doesn’t have to call her. He looks away while she helps him change clothes.

“You’ll be able to do this on your own before long,” she promises and supports him so that there isn’t any weight on his legs as he settles on the bed.

He pulls the covers over himself and nods. Of course he will, that’s how healing works, but they still keep making those promises as if he isn’t sure. The nurse watches him take his medications and checks to see that they’re all swallowed, then says goodnight and slips out of the room. Kevin returns it and rolls over, closing his eyes while he waits for the medications to carry him to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. You can find me on tumblr as [kittleimp](http://kittleimp.tumblr.com) for more fandom fun and desperate attempts not to say "froyo."


End file.
